Ask Amy: How can I keep my dog cool during summer months?

August 13, 2012

Dogs are unable to sweat through their skin the way humans are, so they are much more vulnerable to overheating. As a dogwalker of 7 years, I have seen several owners give their dogs “summer haircuts” where they shave the dog in a buzzcut fashion. This really doesn’t cool them down at all and often times makes look downright silly.
Keep the A/C on in the apartment if temperatures exceed 85-90 degrees. Right before you or your dog walker take the dog outside thoroughly wet his belly with cold water. You can wet him down all over, but the belly is most important because that’s the part of him closest to the hot sidewalk. Try to stick to shady streets and shady corners when you cross the street. It’s no fun for your dog to have to wait patiently with his paws burning on the scorching asphalt. Carry around a small portable water bowl so you can keep him well hydrated. Just go to the local pet store and you’ll see they carry a wide array of collapsible nylon water bowls. Leave it next to the leash so your dogwalker can do the same. Although, many dog walkers are equipped with a bowl of their own.
Most importantly, keep the walks short. Even if your dog requires a lot of exercise, it can be dangerous to push his endurance on a day of record temperatures when the air quality is lousy. If your dogwalker shortens walks on hot days, he is not trying to rip you off. He is simply looking out for your dogs well-being. Whenever I shorten a walk, I always make up for it with a longer walk on a cooler day.

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We offer dog walking, pet sitting, and all kinds of pet care in Greenwich Village, the West Village, and lower parts of Chelsea. We have been walking New York City's dogs for a long time, and love it. So do they!